Royal Commission Shouldn’t Delay Aged Care Action

Royal Commission Shouldn’t Delay Aged Care Action

Monday 17 September, 2018

United Voice WA, the Union for Aged Care workers, is concerned that the Royal Commission into Aged Care announced by the Prime Minister this morning will not tackle the real issue of years of funding cuts by his Government to the sector.

United Voice WA Secretary Carolyn Smith said a Royal Commission will not tell the Australian people anything that they don’t already know.

“Over the term of this Government we have seen report after review after inquiry in Aged Care, but no action on any of them,”

“We don’t need any more reviews or reports to know that aged care is at a breaking point in Australia. What Aged Care desperately needs is the funding cuts this Government has made to be reversed,”

“You can’t cut billions of dollars of Federal funding and not expect this to have an impact on the sector.”

Aged Care workers are always deeply upset to hear of elder abuse and Ms Smith encourages workers to speak up if they witness it happening.

“Aged Care members work every day to provide quality care and comfort to Older Australians who need it the most,”

“Aged care members are heartbroken to see the people they care about treated this way and urge their fellow workers to speak out if they see this happening.”

Ms Smith said the Federal Government now needs to act with urgency and reinstate funding.

“If the Government is serious, and they really want to make sure Older Australian’s are getting quality care, then they need to fund the sector properly,”

“It’s simple – You can’t have quality care without quality funding,”

“Invest in wages, invest in training, invest in setting up proper systems, stop the cuts.”